Transparent holder for packing slips and invoices



5. i E. :I

: nvm-'N 'ron @ELM/m D; SANFORD @Y uw v- TTOR/VEYS June 27, 1967 n. D. SANFORD TRANSPARENT HOLDER FOR PACKING SLIPS AND INVOICES Original Filed July 22, 1963 United States Patent O TRANSPARENT HOLDER EUR PACKING SLIPS AND INVUICES Delmar D. Sanford, R0. Box 802, fiakland, Calif. 94604 Continuation of application Ser. No. 296,585, .Iuly

22. 1963. This application Mar. 1S, 1966, Ser. No. 543,466

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-10) This invention relates generally to holders for packing slips, invoices, and the like, and more particularly to a transparent holder that visually displays the slip contained in the holder. This application is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 296,585, tiled Iuly 22, 1963, now abandoned, for Transparent Folder for Packing Slips and Invoices.

For eicient assembly-line packing of particles in cartons for shipment, each stage of the operation should be performed in as short a time as possible. Heretofore, it has generally been the practice either to print the addressees and sender-s addresses directly on the carton, or to glue on a separate label including this information. In addition to addressing the package in this manner, it is usually required that an invoice be sent separately by iirst class mail, to be attached separately to the package by gummed tape or separate envelope, or be enclosed inside the package. The present invention signicantly reduces the time and expense involved with the foregoing practices by providing an inexpensive and simple holder which can enclose an invoice, packing slip, or the like and be quickly and rapidly secured on a package in a manner visually displaying the addresses of the sender and addressee on the packing slip or invoice. Thus, under postal regulations the invoice can be shipped with 'the package at no change in rate, eliminating the postage for separately mailed invoices. Also, there is eliminated the time involved in separately addressing the package either by hand or by a label, separately mailing or enclosing the invoice or packing slip, or searching inside the package to iind the packing slip when the shipment arrives at its destination.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a holder for readily receiving and enclosing printed subject matter such as a packing slip, and which can be `quickly and easily secured to a carton or other package while exposing the printed matter for ready Visual inspection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of the character described which substantially reduces the time involved in addressing various packages, eliminates the cost of rst class postage on duplicate invoicing, and eliminates the time involved in separately addressing or separately enclosing a packing slip or invoice in addition to addressing the shipment with which the invoice or slip is concerned.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a holder which in addition to receiving a packing slip or the like and visually displaying same is further suitable for ready securance to a cardboard furniture tag or the like whereby the holder and tag can be tied to a piece of furniture by a strand of Wire or the like.

Still another object is to provide a holder of the type described which is very inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted 3,327,416 Patented June 27, 1957 within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a holder embodying the present invention shown mounted on the side of a package and enclosing a packing slip;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 2-2 shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the holder of FIG- URE 1 shown prior to mounting on a package;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a holder embodying the present invention, shown prior to mounting on a package;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional View taken along the plane of line 5--5 shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 shows a front view of the holder of FIG- URE 3 folded and secured to a furniture tag, and enclosing a packing slip;

FIGURE 7 shows a rear View of the holder of FIG- URE 3 as secured to a furniture tag, but prior to being folded into the configuration shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7, with the holder being folded once, and depicting the tirst step in providing the form shown in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a rear view of the holder as shown in FIGURE 6.

Regarding now the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1-3 of the drawing, there is depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2 of a holder 11 mounted on the side 12 of a carton 13, with a packing slip 14 enclosed within the holder. As is seen, the Iholder includes a transparent front sheet 16 which enables the addresses on the packing slip 14 to be inspected visually without removal from the holder, whereby the slip 14 can be utilized for mailing and shipping purposes.

The holder 11 is shown in FIGURE 3 as it appears prior to mounting on the side of the carton 13 or similar package, and is seen to include a back sheet 17 disposed in overlying relation to a portion of the front sheet 16 and secured adjacent three of its side edges to the corresponding edge portions of the front sheet. The back sheet 17 is of less height than the -front sheet 16 so that the remaining portion 18 of the front sheet extends beyond the upper edge 19 of the back sheet, and the edge 19 is adapted to be separated from the front sheet. Consequently, the packing slip 14 is quickly and easily inserted into the holder through the opening adjacent the edge 19.

Means for mounting the holder 11 include a pair of adhesive layers 21 and 22 disposed respectively on the exposed side of the back sheet 17 and the similarly facing side of the front sheet portion 18. Preferably, pressure sensitive adhesive is used with cover strips 23` and 24 being disposed protectively over the adhesive layers. Thus in order to mount the holder with the packing slip therein, the two strips 23 and 24 are removed to expose the adhesive layers, after which the holder is simply pressed against the side of the carton 13.

The construction of the holder 11 as shown in FIG- URES l-3 comprises a single sheet of transparent material such as polyethylene folded over along the edge 26 of the holder. Other transparent materials such as Mylar, cellophane, or the like can also be used if desired. The side edges 27 and 28 are secured together preferably by heat sealing, although a suitable adhesive can alternatively be used.

From the above description, it will be appreciated that the holder of the invention enables a quick and rapid securance of a packing slip or invoice to a package in such a manner that the packing slip will also act as an address label so that it is not necessary to provide a separate label. More particularly, to both enclose the packing slip and provide the address label, it is only necessary to insert the packing slip into the envelope so that the address shows through its transparent front wall and then remove the adhesive backings 23 and 24 from the holder and apply it to the package. Because the adhesive on the front wall of the package is adjacent the pocket opening, and the adhesive on the back Wall covers a substantial portion of the back Walls surface, the application of the holder to the package will result in the holder and package cooperation to provide a closure for the pocket. Thus, because of the particular placement of the two adhesive areas on the holder of the instant invention, the necessity of providing a separate means for closing the pocket is eliminated.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 the construction of the holder 11a depicted therein is modied as compared with the holder 11. Instead of the front and back sheets 16a and 17a being formed from a single folded sheet, the back sheet 17a is formed of a laminate of paper 29 with a thin polyethylene layer 31, overlying and secured to the inner side of the paper 29. The front sheet 16a is formed of transparent polyethylene and heat sealed to the layer 31 of the back sheet 17a along the three edges 26a, 27a, and 28a of the holder 11a. In constructing the holder 11a as just described, the front sheet 16a can be made from polyethylene sheeting of about 3 to 6 millimeter thickness, as are the sheets preferably used -for the holder l1, but the layer 31 can be of only l millimeter thickness, thus reducing the amount `of plastic needed for the holder 11a as compared to the holder 11. The adhesive layers and protective strips used for the holder 11a are the same as described for the holder 11.

Regarding now another embodiment of the invention as depicted in FIGURES' 69, it is often required that the instant holder be secured to a piece of furniture or the like with which it is not desirable to have the adhesive contact the furniture. The instant holder can be suitably folded to mount quickly and neatly on to a conventional furniture tag 32 as hereinafter described. In particular, the holder 11 as described above is shown in FIGURE 7 With the strip 23 removed and with the tag 32 adhered thereto and having an end portion 33 extending beyond the edge 28 of the holder. A Wire or string 34 is tied to the hole 36 in the tagy 32 in a conventional manner, and can secure the tag to a piece of furniture or equipment to be shipped. A packing slip 14 is enclosed in the holder as already described. In FIGURE 8, the strip 24 has been removed, and the upper portion 37 of the holder has been folded along a line 38 with the adhesive strip adhering to the tag 32 and the sheet 17. Then, as shown in FIG- URE 9, the portion of the holder adjacent the edge 29 is folded along the line 39 with the adhesive layer 21 securing it in its folded position. FIGURE 6 depicts the holder and tag shown in FIGURE 9, only from the front side, With the packing slip 14 being visible through the front sheet.

From the foregoing it is evident that the instant holder provides a quick, inexpensive, and simple means for enclosing and mounting invoices or the like on various types of packages lor equipment, and which reduces much of the time and expense heretofore required in ordinary packaging and shipping operations.

What is claimed is:

1. A packing slip holder comprising a thin rectangular flexible transparent sheet folded along a line parallel to the end edges of the sheet and forming front and rear panels overlying one another with their side edges ycoterrninous, means connecting said side edges together, said fold forming a closed bottom end for the holdler, said front panel having at the end opposite of the fold a portion extending upwardly and beyond the adjacent end of the rear panel, said latter end of the rear panel being unconnected with the front panel `between the connected side edges to permit insertion or Withdrawal of a packing slip between the panels, a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material on the exposed side of said rear panel adjacent said folded end and extending for the full width of the panel and covering a substantial area thereof, a strip of sheet material on the exposed side of said rear panel coextensive with and completely covering the layer of adhesive material, a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material on the inner side of said front panel on said upwardly extending portion adjacent the upper edge thereof and adjacent said unconnected end of said rear panel and being spaced therefrom, said layer extending for the full Width of the panel, and a strip of sheet material coextensive With and completely covering said latter adhesive layer.

2. A packing slip holder comprising a front panel and a rear panel with the lower end portion of each panel connected to dene a closed bottom for the holder, said panels overlying one another with their side edges coterminous, means connecting said Side edges together, said front panel having at the end opposite of said bottom a generally rectangular portion extending upwardly and beyond the adjacent end of the rear panel, said latter end of the rear panel being parallel to the distal end of said front panel between the connected side edges to permit insertion or Withdrawal of a packing slip between the panels, a generally rectangular layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material on the exposed side of said rear panel adjacent said closed bottom and extending for the full width of said rear panel, a removable protective strip of sheet material coextensive with and completely covering said adhesive layer, a generally rectangular layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material on the inner side of said upwardly extendingv portion of said front panel adjacent the upper distal end thereof and adjacent said unconnected end of said rear panel and being spaced therefrom, said latter adhesive layer extending for the full width of said front panel, and a removable protective strip of sheet material coextensive with and completely covering said latter adhesive layer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,268 12/1931 Brown 40-159 2,843,310 7/ 1958 Hopkins 40-158 2,925,675 2/ 1960 Lumpkin 40-159 3,011,379 12/1961 Severson 40-10 3,071,881 l/1963 Ruterbusch 40-159 Xr EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PACKING SLIP HOLDER COMPRISING A THIN RECTANGULAR FLEXIBLE TRANSPARENT SHEET FOLDED ALONG A LINE PARALLEL TO THE END EDGES OF THE SHEET AND FORMING FRONT AND REAR PANELS OVERLYING ONE ANOTHER WITH THEIR SIDE EDGES COTERMINOUS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SIDE EDGES TOGETHER, SAID FOLD FORMING A CLOSED BOTTOM END FOR THE HOLDLER, SAID FRONT PANEL HAVING AT THE END OPPOSITE OF THE FOLD A PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND BEYOND THE ADJACENT END OF THE REAR PANEL, SAID LATTER END OF THE REAR PANEL BEING UNCONNECTED WITH THE FRONT PANEL BETWEEN THE CONNECTED SIDE EDGES TO PERMIT INSERTION OR WITHDRAWAL OF A PACKING SLIP BETWEEN THE PANELS, A LAYER OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL ON THE EXPOSED SIDE OF SAID REAR PANEL ADJACENT SAID FOLDED END AND EXTENDING FOR THE FULL WIDTH OF THE PANEL AND COVERING A SUBSTANTIAL AREA THEREOF, A STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL ON THE EXPOSED SIDE OF SAID REAR PANEL COEXTENSIVE WITH AND COMPLETELY COVERING THE LAYER OF ADHESIVE MATERIAL, A LAYER OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID FRONT PANEL ON SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF AND ADJACENT SAID UNCONNECTED END OF SAID REAR PANEL AND BEING SPACED THEREFROM, SAID LAYER EXTENDING FOR THE FULL WIDTH OF THE PANEL, AND A STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL COEXTENSIVE WITH AND COMPLETELY COVERING SAID LATTER ADHESIVE LAYER. 